Thursday, February 27, 2014

Because I’ve been working so hard on The Academy Members Project this year, I’ve admittedly spent less time writing about this year’s Oscar race. But I have been diligently watching a great many of the nominated films -- including all the contenders for the top 8 categories and all 15 Oscar nominated shorts -- and reading all the news, reviews, buzz and gossip that I can find. So that qualifies me to opine on which films will win, right?

Best Picture: 12 Years A Slave

Best Director: Alfonso Cuaron for Gravity

Lead Actress: Cate Blanchett for Blue Jasmine

Lead Actor: Matthew McConaughey for Dallas Buyers Club

Supporting Actress: Lupita Nyong’o for 12 Years A Slave

Supporting Actor: Jared Leto for Dallas Buyers Club

Original Screenplay: American Hustle

Adapted Screenplay: 12 Years A Slave

Animated Feature: Frozen

Animated Short: Get A Horse

Cinematography: Gravity

Costume Design: The Great Gatsby

Documentary Feature: 20 Feet From Stardom

Documentary Short: The Lady In Number 6: Music Saved My Life

Film Editing: Captain Phillips

Foreign Language Film: The Great Beauty

Live Action Short: Helium

Makeup And Hairstyling: Dallas Buyers Club

Production Design: The Great Gatsby

Score: Gravity

Song: “Let It Go” from Frozen

Sound Editing: Gravity

Sound Mixing: Gravity

Visual Effects: Gravity

Let me know where you think I’ve got it right -- or wrong -- in the comments!

Know of an Academy member that we have missed? Think we have included someone who shouldn’t be here? The Academy Members Project is a work in progress, and welcomes your input! Additions, suggestions, corrections and verifications may be submitted in the comments section, or by emailing nevertooearlymoviepredictions@gmail.com.

Thursday, February 13, 2014

As all my readers know, The Academy Members Project has been working hard to identify and celebrate as many Oscar voters as possible. It’s a research project that fascinates me endlessly -- and forever changed the way that I watch film credits -- even if the general public only tunes in to see the results once or twice a year.

But the Academy hasn’t always been as secretive as they are now. Early on, membership lists seem to have been regularly published, perhaps in an effort to establish it as the preeminent film organization that we all know today.

Recently, I was lucky enough to come across one of those lists from 1948. It’s a wonderful look back at old-school Hollywood, and a dream come true for all the historians out there.

I’ll be adding all of these names to the main pages over the next week or so, but for now I invite you to check out the original document below (you can right click each image for a larger version). And when you’re done, make sure to check out the rest of the Academy Members Project to see how today’s Oscar voters match up against those of yesteryear.

Know of an Academy member that we have missed? Think we have included someone who shouldn’t be here? The Academy Members Project is a work in progress, and welcomes your input! Additions, suggestions, corrections and verifications may be submitted in the comments section, or by emailing nevertooearlymoviepredictions@gmail.com.